Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
OHIO
Falcons Defeat Ohio, 17-0
November 10, 2001 | Football
Nov. 10, 2001
Athens, Ohio - Sophomore Josh Harris had 304 yards of total offense and the BGSU defense held Ohio to 140 yards of total offense and earned its second shutout of the season as BGSU defeated the Bobcats, 17-0, in Athens. The victory clinched the Falcons first winning season since 1994, ending the longest drought in school history (6 seasons) without a winning record in football. BGSU is 6-3 and finished with a 4-2 record in the MAC East (third place).
Harris made his third career-start and took all but one snap under center. His 148 yards rushing was the most ever by a Falcon quarterback (Mike Wright, 131 vs. Toledo in 1978) and marked just the fourth time a BGSU signal caller has rushed for more than 100 yards and first in 23 years. He also completed 13 of 21 passes for a career-high 156 yards.
The Falcons took a 3-0 lead on a 27-yard field goal by Shaun Suisham on the Falcons opening drive which took 8:17 of the first quarter. For the game, BGSU held the ball for 39:03 to 20:57 for the Bobcats.
BGSU took a 10-0 lead before halftime when Harris connected with Kurt Gerling for a four-yard TD strike with 19 seconds left in the half. The Falcons, which had 400 yards of total offense for the third time this season, added a one-yard touchdown run by John Gibson with 6:38 left in the fourth quarter.
The Falcon defense, the third ranked unit against the rush in the country, stuffed the Bobcat rushing attack, the third best in the nation by limiting OU to 105 yards rushing, 161 yards below their average.
The Falcons got two interceptions and three pass deflections from senior Karl Rose and senior linebacker Khary Campbell forced and recovered his MAC-leading fifth fumble of the season.
